Future board format - discussion

[Master Yoghurt]

Lets talk about the future of this board a bit. For quite some time, I have been thinking wether we should move to a more advanced board system. Yeah, I know, we are all used to Ezboard. It is a bit like the old wood kitchen chair with a puffy seat pillow. In a way, it is nice and comfy and all, but it makes all these funny noises when you sit, and it kinda look out of place in the living room everytime you have guests. Perhaps it is time to be bold and go for the stressless with adjustable seat positions, arm rest and all.

You see, ezboard code sorta is a bit, how to put it... unflexible and full of bugs. The CSC pricing plans are also kind of steep compared to hosted solutions. So that is why I am thinking perhaps we should think of other options for the future. That is why I was pleasantly surprised to see this topic:

www.swforums.net/forum/sh...post173297 (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=173297#post173297)

From what I hear, we would be able to transfer both posts from the old board and the current one, and the database from swforums.net would be transferred, so there is minimum of fuzz about registering accounts.

So, basically, I am asking you what you feel about this matter. What do you think, shall we keep the kitchen chair or go for the stressless? Ideas, comments and suggestions are all very welcome. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">

[ReaperFett]

1- Im sick of moving

2- Im sick of SWFans seemingly being down more than it ever was

3- We wouldnt be in control of the board, wed be just squatting


Well, that's my view. Not like anyone cares, soon the thread will be full of people yelling "YEAH, EZBOARD SUXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!!!!!!!!!" or similar. Oh well

[SWFans Net]

2- Im sick of SWFans seemingly being down more than it ever was

3- We wouldnt be in control of the board, wed be just squatting
2 - That is because of the host we chose, their are other hosts avaialable that may turn out to be more reliable and we will most likely be moving SWFans (which will be totally unnoticed by the board visitors) once our annual agreement is up with the current host. The staff has found another host that gaurentees 99.5% uptime.

3 - If you have a look at the thread Yog linked, you will see that it has been proposed that all groups participating will have at least one member of their group with administrative ability.

[ReaperFett]

That is because of the host we chose, their areother hosts avaialable that may turn out to be more reliable

may. The keyword there was may



If you have a look at the thread Yog linked, you will see that it has been proposed that all groups participating will have at least one member of their group with administrative ability

Yes, correct. But we couldnt just keep adding forums etc. We dont run the board, we co-run it. And of course, what happens if our Admin dissapears? Just get rid off him and make a new one? Bit harsh if he just happened to not be able to get on for a week

[SWFans Net]

It also may turn out that ezboard comes up with a new system for pricing or whatnot that makes this current solution even more difficult to maintain without a plethora of pop-ups. they did kill the CSC blue program mighty quickly and change their tune with little notice. then there is the fact of sudden random deletions. Yes they do have backups available, but so do most hosts of a paid system as well. And hosted solutions also make performing your own backups possible.

The second part will require debating with all interested parties. I am sure solutions can be reached/found.

[ReaperFett]

then there is the fact of sudden random deletions

Ive been here 2 years, and at most Ive seen 20 accounts and one board go. Due to the repetative nature, I think its something done that causes that. Its hardly a widespread problem

[Jeseth Cloak]

TBH was almost deleted last week. ALMOST. I called them and they said that it had accidentally been "lost in the shuffle." How the hell do you lose something in the shuffle??? Anyway... each group would have 2 Admins appointed. They would be able to assign moderators, and moderators could basically be scripted to have the same rights as Admins for their forums, I believe...

And after this, there would be no more moving, no more pop-ups, and MUCH BETTER communication between groups. It would still be up to you.

[ReaperFett]

TBH was almost deleted last week. ALMOST.

Yeah, but it WASN'T. Keywords again <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">



How the hell do you lose something in the shuffle???

If youre not looking, and a card hits your hand and pings off



and moderators could basically be scripted to have the same rights as Admins for their forums, I believe...

And could you still have mod-level people?



And after this, there would be no more moving, no more pop-ups

Unless it all went pearshaped, and people wanted to move



and MUCH BETTER communication between groups

With certain people, that requires a cattle prod and a full lobotomy <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">



It would still be up to you.

No, it's up to all those who will see the words "move" and say "DO IT!", without reading any more ;)

[Jeseth Cloak]

Well, I assure you that this move would take every group into consideration, and even member's request seriously. it would basically be run the same as SWFans, and there would be no re-registering since Nup said he'd be willing to move a copy of the SWFans database.

[Morgan Evanar]

(Nupraptor borrowing Morgan's account)
and the database from swforums.net would be transferred, so there is minimum of fuzz about registering accountsNot entirely sure how this would work, as I haven't seen it done before, but it should.
Im sick of SWFans seemingly being down more than it ever wasWhile there was some difficulty at the beginning, I haven't noticed any downtime in a long time.
there would be no re-registering since Nup said he'd be willing to move a copy of the SWFans database.I did? When? <img src=http://www.thegjo.com/forum/smileys/magtongue.gif ALT=":p"> As I said above: I'm not 100% sure it would work that way, but I think it's possible. And yes, I'm saying now that I'd be willing to do so, if it is.

[SWFans Net]

I'm not 100% sure it would work that way, but I think it's possible. And yes, I'm saying now that I'd be willing to do so, if it is. Yep, the simplest way to do it would be to upload our entire database into the new one and then go thru and remove all the old posts and forums, that is, if they want to have the same hacks we have available at SWfans.Net on vBulletin.

If they do not wish to have the same hacks we do then I am also aware of a method to import just the user table from our MySQL database into a new one. It has not been modified by any of the hacks we are using.

[ReaperFett]

Nup, it was down last week. I know because I said to LD that she got off the hook for posting in our RP <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">

[SWFans Net]

I can confirm that it was down last week for a while as well, but I also recall ezboard being down once or twice that week as well, though not for as long a time period. No forum is up and available 100% of the time. <img src=http://www.thegjo.com/forum/smileys/magtongue.gif ALT=":p">

[ReaperFett]

I wasnt saying any were, I was just arguing with Morg, who has the spirit of Nup trapped inside him <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">

[Morgan Evanar]

(Nup again)

From what I hear, it was down for about an hour and a half. During the wee hours of the morning. Once. That sounds pretty darn good to me. At least it wasn't obtrusive to the majority of the people's usage.

[ReaperFett]

During the wee hours of the morning

YOUR wee hours, my morning <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">

[Jeseth Cloak]

Actually, ezboard went down and rendered a few boards useless for over 3 hours one night for me. And Nup, when I talked to you about it last time you said you’d be willing to transfer the database over if we could pull something like that off. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)"> If I misunderstood what you said, sorry about that then. Either way, the path that ezboard is taking eventually all of the larger boards are going to have to move anyway. It doesn't seem as if ezboard is going to really be re-enabling any of their free-features anytime soon, and if they keep "cutting their losses" it's not going to be that much longer until posting with more than 100 words becomes a CSC User option.

So it's really up to you: You can take advantage of a cheap opportunity to be hosted on a vBulletin board that'll be fast and reliable (since either way I'm not going use Tera-Byte.com), or you can stick with ezboard and keep getting shafted until you end up having to purchase your own hosting package for 6 times the yearly cost of what I'm asking. <img src=http://www.thegjo.com/forum/smileys/crazya.gif ALT=":b">

Is there a danger of some things going wrong, or people having issues with/over this move? yes, there is always a chance of things going wrong. Will there be enough overall willingness to see this through for the long haul and try to make the best of an opportunity such as this? That's up to the users who decide to participate in this move.

[Darth Turbogeek]

"3- We wouldnt be in control of the board, wed be just squatting"



Absolutly NO @#%$ way. I am here right now cause I dont want to be at SWForums and some of the issues bought up in the thread linked are very, very, very real. Dont ignore or dismiss the issues bought up by Reaperfett and I see them quite clearly.

This just wont work in the end. Maybe EZboard sucks, but your setting up for other issues and OOC conflicts I just dont want to think about.

I LEFT SWForums and I went here cause I like being here. I sure as f*** dont want to have GJO in effect a "sub forum". Maybe it can be on the same server, but it sure as hell will not share databases, nor will it be a sub forum.

Listen to the hint of experience. It wont work, not in the way you want. People WILL leave, there WILL be new forums set up off board cause people get pissed off for some reason. I speak as someone who has realised reasons for leaving / taaking a break / whatever.

Sorry, but that's my opinion. If you really want to look at something, look at building groups up and building a community, cause we dont have one now.

[Jeseth Cloak]

So does that mean that GJO folds the hand?

[Darth Turbogeek]

Ummm..... and here I was about to withdraw my post.

Okay, NOW you have explained it fully.... it's workable. Very workable. Alright, I can be persuaded.


My biggest concern is that we need to advertise the community and get it bigger and far more active. Can we throw that into the ring to discuss as well?

[Jeseth Cloak]

Sure. I think that with this system it's going to be easier for people to play multiple characters, because they'd be able to drop in on all the groups there in once visit. Also, it would encourage Interaction between the opposing forces on the board and help to build trust. There are possibilities for things to go wrong, but that's always the case, and they will be discussed and sorted out IF people are willing to do this.

The GJO would have to have a majority vote in favor of moving, so that my setting up the actual board wouldn't be a huge waste of money... TGE has already confirmed their participation.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Present then how exactly this is going to work and I'll put it up for vote.

[Jeseth Cloak]

The board would be run by one, possibly two, board-wide Admins. Each group would get to choose one admin for it's own purposes, and however many Moderator's it wanted. The groups old forums would be moved to the new board, and the SWFans database would likly be transfered to avoid re-registering problem. It'd basically be one big community.

Locked forums would be set up with IP loggers if possible to protect privacy. That's about it. There's a $20 charge for being hosted yearly... which isn't bad, since I'll be dishing out the rest of the money. No more ezboard, pop-ups, or deletions. vBulletin would be our new messaging system. Each group would need to vote upon it's Admin, or Admins. The domain name would be www.SWGroups.net or something similar to that.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Okay, so the USER database can be uploaded from SWForums okkkkaaaay. But is not a literal subset of the SWForums database?

And Yog is overall total admin, with other admins appointed to look after specific groups?

[Jeseth Cloak]

You got it. =)

[Darth Turbogeek]

Hmmmmmmm........Much different to as I first understood what was to happen.

And much better too.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Well, I'd like to know what this group intends, so I can decide in the next month or two.

[SWFans Net]

Okay, so the USER database can be uploaded from SWForums okkkkaaaay. But is not a literal subset of the SWForums database?The SWFans user tables from the SWFans database can be imported into the database for this new project that Jes is proposing, for ease of registration. It will be on a different host, and will not be a shared database that SWFans uses.

[Lady DeVille]

I feel I must add, that the hour or so Swfans was down last week may have been *my* fault. I was having a problem with my account, and Swfans.net was kind enough to try and fix it for me. For which I am grateful.

*smacks Fett* I find your overuse of quotes...hard to read... ;) j/k Although it is redunant. You say things over and over. Everyone does it. Don't we all? (is repeating herself for comic affect...no one is laughing? Ah well...)

[ReaperFett]

ffs, I get the point. Everyone so far has moaned I keep repeating ymself, just SHUT UP about it already!

[Master Yoghurt]

Guys, no reason to get emotional about this. When I posted this thread, it was because I thought it would benenfit not only the Jedi, having a much cooler board, but because it would bring the groups more tightly together. I foresaw one huge community, working more like a family more than it is today with distrust and OOC issues. Full trust, respect and communication. That sort of thing is absolutely essential if the roleplay is going to have a future at all.

Tecnically, I think, yes, it would be quite a challenge putting it all together, but it would be so much worth it. A task that requires much time and effort no doubt. And you know what? I would be willing to do my uttermost putting it together. Too difficult you think? Bah, there is no such thing if you believe in your community. What more, I would be willing to pay the setup fee and donate for any additional bandwidth if requested.

But there is little point of me trying to push this ahead if the efforts are not going to be appreciated in the slightest. What is the point of working your ass of to build a board the users wont like? It is sort of not very rewarding. And no board system, no matter how cool or advanced, is worth people arguing so bad about it they get upset. I care too much about you guys for that, and yes, I consider you my friends *insert sentimental comment in here ;) * If we go somewhere, we do it together.. or like I said in Avalon; "I'd like to see changes done to the board in coherence with the users opinion, never opposed to it, and most preferably something we all can agree on."

So basically I am saying. Lets all calm down, take a chill or something, and think about this quietly. There is no rush to move at all. We have 123 days left of the CSC GOLD. We have plenty of options:

If we chose to stay, fine by me (although, I do admit at this point, I utterly despise ezboard code). Around may is the worst time of year Episode 2 coming and all. Last year, the traffic was at $140 for 6 month, perhaps it wont be that bad, or we could be more efficient in our community chest campaign or something.

If we chose to do a late entry at Jeseth's board in four months or perhaps earlier, fine. Perhaps we could work something out to upgrade his bandwidth limit/ hostage package or something, although it might cost us more and additonal work.

If we chose to set up our own board (Iconboard, phpBB, UBB or even our own vBulletin), fine. Let me know and I will look at the alternatives regarding servers and bulletin software.

In other words, we have plenty of options. It is not like the world will collapse if we dont move today. So my friendly suggestion is we sit this one out, think a bit about it, and take the next train.

Peace <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/image/emoticons_classic/smile.gif ALT=":)">

Jeseth, my offer still stands helping you out in any way you request (setting it up, putting it all together etc).

[Darth Turbogeek]

I'm going to make a suggestion.

How about we do join in, work the bugs out, settle in and just compare? Because what Jes told me erased a lot of my doubts and I would like to see something liek that happen. Use both this board and the new one, whichever one works will prosper, the other will die. Or, if it both works.... cool too.

[Nupraptor]

If you do that, I can almost guarantee that the new one will die. That's the reason why we locked down the old SWFans as soon as the new one was up and running. People are prone to feel uncomfortable with something different and will just stay where they are. That's why you sometimes have to forgo letting them test the waters and just toss them in, so to speak.

I think the best solution would be to purchase seperate licenses and give everyone a board on the same domain. Then all you have to worry about is bandwith. Of course, this solution is much, much more pricey. But it's the only way to really circumvent all the problems inherent with the having every group in the same place.

[Nupraptor]

Perhaps instead of using vB, you could go with a free solution like phpBB? Then all you can have as many boards as you like without having to pay $165 a pop.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Hmmm......


(Hacking it into place on a W2K test box)

[Morgan Evanar]

php VB is pretty cool, but I a) need to familiarize myself with it.

It doesn't seem to be as feature complete, although it does seem to do a decent job.

[Nupraptor]

On the user end, it's pretty similar.

On the Admin End... it's a joke by comparison.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Hmmmm...


Database bits are fun so far... NOT. phpBB aint bad so far to get going, just the database side is a bit cruel, so far. Probably because the MySQL setup isnt right. I'm more used to SQLServer

[Lady DeVille]

Fett- I didn't mean to make ya mad. You know me. <img src=http://www.thegjo.com/forum/smileys/crazya.gif ALT=":b"> Always mouthing off when I should be quiet. ;)

[Jeseth Cloak]

I agree with what Yogh says, and that's why I like this idea. Nup's idea works as well. If we moved, I'd want Yogh to be the board Admin. That's something that hopefully (I think) all groups could agree on. The other admins would be decided upon by their respective groups in a vote that each group would put forth. If GJO wants to hold off and try it out later, that's fine too. I've got 30-60 days to do all this and get it up and running...

If groups want to do this and have their own databses hosted, I'd be willing to go with that too, btw.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Scratcvh snitz as a forum base. It's not powerful enough.

:: Continues to get phpBB going::

[Nupraptor]

For those who don't know what a phpBB looks like, the Replica Props Forum is based on one:

rpf.prop-planet.com/ (http://rpf.prop-planet.com/)

[Lady DeVille]

Looks nice to me.